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"Like a typical teenager, she though she was an excellent multi-tasker," Dye said.

She was one day away from graduating before her accident. Mariah spent 8 days in intensive care before she passed away.

Now her mother works with AT&T's "It Can Wait" project, urging everyone, not just teens, to put down their phones while driving to avoid accidents.

This project came to the Duke Energy Convention Center Friday equipped with informative videos and even a simulator to show participants what can happen when they text and drive.

Experts say the average texts distracts a driver for five seconds, and at 55 mph, the driver will have traveled 100 yards completely blind to the road and what's ahead of them.

Currently, slightly fewer teens are now texting and driving, while the adult rate is going up.

Studies indicate 77 percent of teens say they've seen their parents text and drive, and drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a crash while texting and driving than drinking and driving.

More than 100,000 serious crashes now happen from texting and driving each year.

"Educate them early, get driver's education and do everything you can," Merry Dye said.